Mustang Eyes
by The Narnian Phantom Stallion
Summary: Samantha Forster has been arranged to marry Ryan Slocum and she doesn't like it. She decides to run off for a little while for some quiet time and stumbles across a kind Indian family.  Phantom Stallion AU 1800's  May become a major story...


**This isn't the average length for a one-shot so I guess you would call this a short story. It's still kinda like a rough draft.**

**I couldn't research a lot about stuff because all I have is phone internet and it's a pain to use sometimes. I have to use wifi to post chapters.**

**I don't know a lot of the Shoshone Indians just Cherokee and Nez Perce so I didn't put a lot of info into some of it.**

**This story is set in the 1800's and is an AU. I havn't seen a lot of them for Phantom stallion so I wouldn't to do one of my own. I don't think anyone else came up with this idea yet.**

**Review!**

Mustang Eyes

"I will not marry him!" Samantha Forster cried out angrily to her father Wyatt.

Her father had engaged Sam to their next-door neighbor Linc Slocum's son Ryan. The boy was rich and arrogant. He only cared about himself and Sam didn't want to marry him. She didn't see why people had arranged marriages.

Her father said he and her mother Louise were an arranged marriage and they fell in love soon after they were married but Sam knew she could never love Ryan.

The Slocum's had recently come from England and settled in Nevada in the Cattle Ranch business. Linc Slocum was a cowboy wanna-be. He tried to act like he knew what he was doing but everyone could see right through him.

Wyatt thought Ryan would be good for Sam even if his father wasn't the most liked man. Ryan promised lots of money and a good home for Sam.

It didn't matter to Sam because she didn't think none of it mattered if there was no love.

"Yes, you will!" Wyatt yelled at his daughter. She was making this harder than it already was. He didn't really want her to be the daughter-in-law of Linc Slocum but it would be the only way to keep food in her belly. The Forster's weren't rich. They barely got by with Sam, Wyatt, and Grace. Sam's grandmother who she called Gram. Louise had died giving birth to Sam.

"No, I won't!" Sam yelled back, running out the kitchen door out into the cold winter day. She didn't both grabbing her shawl. She went straight to the barn. She needed to take a ride. A ride away from her family and River Bend Ranch.

Ace, her horse, poked his head out from his cozy stall and whinnied. Ace was a mustang and was her first horse. Sadly he was as old as her. Sixteen years old and his health was going bad.

"Yes, sweet boy, we're going for a ride," Sam cooed, grabbing a bridle. She didn't worry with a saddle. She wouldn't be gone too long.

Sam galloped Ace off toward War Drum Flats. Long dresses didn't make her ride sidesaddle. She loved War Drum Flats. There was a wood up ahead if you kept riding through the flat.

Sam didn't stop riding until she found herself lost in the midst of the wood. It was freezing cold and by then she had wished she'd brought her shawl.

She didn't know where to go then. It had started snowing again and she began to panic.

Suddenly there was a gunshot in the distance and a bullet flew right past the horse and girl. Ace shied in terror throwing Sam to the ground before galloping off without her.

Sam hit the ground with a cracking sound as her head hit a stone. She would have a bad headache later. She laid their a few seconds before sitting up with a groan, holding onto her throbbing head. She withdrew a hand and gasped it was covered in blood.

"Great, Samantha, what mess you got yourself into!" she said to herself. Ace would be lucky if he made home before a cougar got him.

Sam herself would be lucky if she could get home now.

Twigs snapping caught Sam's attention and she stared to her right as she heard human feet walking. What people would be walking in this deep part of the woods?

Her heart jumped to her throat as she saw two Indians come into view. She kept a gasp in as they spotted. They looked a lot alike, one older and one looked her age.

The older one started yelling in Shoshone and Sam shrank back in fear wondering what he was going to do to her. The Indian raised his hand to her just as the other younger Indian grabbed his fist before he could hurt her.

Sam's eyes were wide as she stared up at the younger Indian, clearly terrified of both of them. She had heard horror stories about the Indians scalping the whites and other horrible things. They were so terrible but she wanted to think the Indians were innocent.

Then to Sam's complete surprise the younger Indian spoke, "I'm sorry for my brother's actions. He thought you were a threat to us," a hand came up to brush against her cheek gently as if to assure her he meant no harm. Out his mouth came flawless English.

Sam squeezed her eyes thinking he was going to hit her but relaxed when he stroked her cheek instead. She wasn't expecting such gentle treatment from an Indian after all she heard.

The younger Indian extended his hand and helped her up while the older snorted as if he was disgusted with his younger brother.

"What is your name?" the younger asked.

"Sam," she said quickly still a little uneasy by the way the older Indian was looking at her.

"I'm Mustang Eyes to the Shoshone," the younger gave her a smile.

Sam crinkled her forehead at the name. It was strange. "What do you mean to the Shoshone? Do you have another name?" she asked curiously.

"My mother gave me and all my brothers white man's names also. Mine is Jake and this is Kit or Yuma," Mustang Eyes nodded toward the scary Indian.

Sam blinked, why would Indians need a white man's name? Jake and Kit started to walk her toward their camp.

She shivered from the cold suddenly and her head started to ache where she had to hold onto it.

"What happened to your head?" Mustang Eyes aka Jake asked her as she stopped walking.

"My horse threw me," Sam shut her eyes, feeling dizzy.

Kit rolled his eyes, he didn't seem to be very friendly and it made Sam want to keep close to Jake.

As they walked into Shoshone camp everyone stared at Sam and it made her extremely nervous. They stopped walking when they reached a tepee bigger than the others. Sam gulped as Jake went into the tepee leaving her in the care of Kit. He kept staring at her like she was the prey and he the hawk.

Jake came out and followed him was the chief! Sam nearly fainted. She wasn't only in an Indian camp she was also at the mercy of the chief and his sons.

"Father, this is Sam, Kit and I found her out in the woods alone. Her horse threw her and she hurt her head," Jake explained to the chief.

The chief came up to her as if to size her up and Sam had to suppress a whimper of fear and cowered under his gaze. She wished Jake was there beside her. He made her feel safe. She hadn't known him for more than mere minutes but she already felt the urge to run to him.

The chief said something to Jake and Kit in Shoshone and then walked back into the tepee, Kit following after him.

Jake took Sam by the arm and led her into the tepee. Then she had another surprise. There stood a petite blond woman that wasn't a bit Indian. The only Indian thing about her was her clothes. She stepped forth as she saw Sam.

"Hello Sam, I'm Maxine, may I see your head?" the woman asked with gentle eyes.

Sam nodded and sat down to where the woman patted on the floor.

"Jake, will you go fetch me a jar of water?" Maxine asked. Obviously Jake was her son.

Jake immediately ran off to do as he was told.

Soon Maxine had her head wrapped. She had told Sam that she had been lucky that she didn't get a concussion.

"Jake will help you get home tomorrow night. Until then make yourself at home here," Maxine gave her a smile, cleaning up the supplies she used.

"Would you like a tour of our camp?" Jake asked as Sam fidgeted where she sat.

"Sure," Sam said, eyes lighting up. She got up quickly regretting it as her head started to pound.

She forgot about her head as Jake took her hand in his. He led her out into the busy camp.

She looked all around her; women were cooking and weaving, children playing, men talking. She practically forgot about her fear until suddenly a boy yelled at her in English. He yelled three words that were in a thick accent but were clearly heard and they hurt almost as much as the rock did.

"Murdering Pale Face!" the boy threw a fairly large stone at her and it hit her in the shoulder. She cried out in surprise and pain.

Jake yelled something after the boy and the he fled to the other side of the camp.

Jake came back with an apologizing look, "You shouldn't have to have heard that," he shook his head.

Sam didn't reply as he led her to the area where all the horses were. She knew to be a little more cautious now.

Jake stopped in the middle of all the horses and gave a sharp whistle.

Sam's eyes widened as a beautiful silver stallion trotted up to the Indian boy and lipped his long hair. The stallion was beautiful.

"This is Phantom," Jake said as the stallion decided to rub his nose against Sam's back.

"He's beautiful. Why is he named Phantom?" Sam asked, rubbing the horse's muzzle.

"He has this way of disappearing and reappearing every now and then," Jake grinned a tom-like grin.

Suddenly a black mare squealed galloping up beside Phantom as if demanding attention.

Jake laughed, "And this is my other horse Witch."

Sam raised her hand to pet Witch just as Witch snapped her teeth at the girl who was getting so much attention from her master.

Jake grabbed Sam and pulled her back before the mare had her satisfaction of sinking her teeth in the girl's arm.

Sam hit his chest with a loud, "Oof," and stared up at Jake. His eyes were the most unusual thing about him. They had a wild look about them and she finally got why his name was Mustang Eyes. His black hair tickled her cheek as they stared at each other a few seconds.

There seemed to be chemistry between the two.

Jake let go of Sam and glared at Witch who snorted as if amused by her actions.

Jake showed Sam every inch of his camp and then they walked back to his tepee that night. Sam knew it was crazy but she felt as if she had fallen in love with the boy in that little bit of time she was with him.

As they entered the tepee Sam was taken aback to see four other boys besides Kit and Jake. What a big family he had. The chief looked up at her with a funny lo

Ok as he took in Sam and Jakes enlaced fingers.

Sam blushed scarlet, trying to let go of Jake's hand which Jake held onto hers tighter. Her heart gave a big thump. Jake could have feelings for her two.

It Sam believed in love at first sight then this was it.

All of Jake's brothers were staring at her but Sam didn't let it bother her.

Maxine set down some deer meat and everyone dug in except Sam who just picked at it. She didn't seem to have an appetite. Her thoughts were all on Jake and marriage to Ryan. She crazily wished it was Jake whom she was marrying instead of Ryan.

Long into the night those were her thoughts. It was hard to sleep when she was by Kit so she inched over to Jake and finally fell asleep a while later.

They all slept on furs. It really did help against the cold air and Sam wasn't a bit cold.

Everyone woke at the crack of dawn and Sam had to make herself get up she was so tired from staying up half the night. Much to her embarrassment she woke up with Jake's arms around her protectively. His family noticed too and his brothers teased him constantly all day. His parents well they weren't really surprised.

Jake seemed sad all the next day as they spent the day at a creek then just talked about each other.

"Why did that boy call me a murderous pale face?" Sam frowned as they sat on the rocks by the creek.

Jake looked at her incredulously as if she were ignorant and Sam wished she hadn't asked. Her family didn't never really talk about the Indians except that they were coldhearted killers who scalped innocent people.

Jake took an intake of breath, "White men accuse us of being murderers when they are the ones that kill. We Indians are only trying to protect ourselves and our land. White men burn us in our tepees and hang us," he looked down.

Sam gasped in utter horror; she hadn't known any of this. She had been a very sheltered child, "I didn't know," Sam paled.

"You don't have to be sorry. You didn't do any of it," Jake said to her, getting up and lifted Sam to her feet.

They walked back to camp slowly.

"I feel like I've known you forever," Jake said out of the blue.

Sam stared at him; it was the same for her also. "I know," Sam smiled, getting a side glance at him. He was so handsome he almost took her breath away. But that wasn't why she was falling for him. It was the way he was.

"This is going to sound and crazy and I probably shouldn't even say this but I think I've fallen in love with you. Its sounds hard to believe since we've only known each other for a day but I'm in love with you," Jake scratched the back of his neck. It must be a nervous habit.

Sam could have swooned but she replied back, "I love you too," she smiled at him and he smiled back.

Jake leaned toward her just as Kit walked up to them. Jake pulled away from her and looked toward his brother, annoyed.

"Time for you to take Redhead back to her people," Kit informed, giving Sam a stern look.

Sam fought the urge to shrink back against Jake. Oh how Kit scared her so. She didn't know why. It turned out all the Ely's were nice even the chief whose name was Bear Claw or Luke. All except for Kit.

It hit Sam like a blow when he said it was time for Jake to take her back. She didn't want to leave. She didn't want to go back and marry Ryan Slocum. She wanted to stay with the Shoshone and maybe end up marry the chief's son Mustang Eyes.

Jake held his head low as they walked to the horses. He whistled and Phantom came up. He picked up a hackamore on a fence rail and slipped it on with a sigh.

Jake gave Sam a leg up on the Phantom then got on behind her. It was dusk as they left.

Sam was fighting tears as they were almost to River Bend. Sam had to tell him where she lived so he could get them out the wood.

When they reached the ranch it was full dark out. Sam didn't want to let go of Phantom's mane. She wanted to stay with him and Jake forever. But that was only a fantasy.

"Here we are," Jake said softly, voice drowning in melancholy. He swung down from the stallion and pulled Sam down to him. They were by the La Charla River.

Sam let the tears flow. She couldn't keep them in any longer, "I enjoyed the time I had with you. I'm going to miss you," she choked on a sob. Her hands were against his chest.

He looked down at her. Sadness written all over his face. The moonlight shone down on them and they could see each other's faces.

"I want to see you again," Sam said to him, brushing her hand against cheek the same way he did the first time they met.

He closed his eyes. When he opened them they were pained, "We're from two different worlds, it will never work, Sam," he pressed his forehead against hers. His mustang eyes bore into hers.

"It could," Sam cried out, she hugged onto him.

"I'll try to come see you tomorrow night. I can't make any promises," Jake said gently.

Sam smiled through her tears.

Jake leaned in and kissed her, lovingly.

Sam needed to tell him about her father wanting to marry her to Ryan Slocum but she didn't won't to ruin the moment.

"I must go," Jake said after a few minutes.  
Sam made her fingers let go of him, forcing herself not to cry.

"Don't tell anyone about us," Jake demanded gently.

"I won't. I promise," Sam said to him.

Jake sighed then and opened Sam's hand and placed Phantom's reins in it.

Sam gasped and looked up at him in question.

"I want you to have Phantom," Jake announced, closing her hand over them.

"I can't accept this," Sam said trying to give them back. Jake was insistent with her keeping.

"I have to go," Jake leaned down again and kissed her, wrapping his arms around her. Oh she didn't want him to let go!

"Thank you—for everything," Sam said and then he was gone.

There was a routine everyday she spent time with Phantom and each night met Jake at the La Charla. Sometimes he couldn't make it but he tried his best.

Wyatt had asked where she got the horse and what had happened to her. She told him she had gotten lost and a kind family found her and helped her. All was true. She skipped the part about them being Indian.

Sam and Jake were becoming closer and closer. Jake wanted to marry her but they didn't know how it would work.

Ryan had started to call on Sam more and was starting to get suspicious of her behavior.

One awful night Ryan was spying on Sam to see what she did at night because every time he saw her she was yawning.

He saw Jake with Sam and immediately got the sheriff. To Sam's horror they arrested him for no apparent reason except he was Indian. Sam protested it wasn't fair but it didn't matter they arrested him anyway.

Sam waited for days to see what they would do to him. The Slocum's and the sheriff decided for him to be hanged. Linc Slocum being the one to bribe the sheriff into it. What a lowlife he was.

Sam visited Jake every day until the day he was to be hanged.

Sam cried her eyes out, trying to figure out how to save Jake. She couldn't let him die all because of her. Wyatt had been mad as a hornet when he found out Sam had been secretly meeting an Indian every night. He had even set the wedding date of her and Ryan for the day after the hanging.

It was the day of the hanging and Sam was distraught. She tacked up Phantom and went off to town. She intended on protesting that they had no God given right to kill Jake when he had done nothing wrong.

Jake stood on a platform beside the noose that was to be around his neck in a few minutes. His face was expressionless until he saw Sam.

There was a crowd forming, all waiting for the hanging of the Shoshone. It was sick to know everyone there wanted to see him die.

Sam tied Phantom to a post and ran through the crowd, not caring what happened to her. She just wanted to get to him quickly. She couldn't let them kill the one she loved.

She knew the Ely's probably knew about what happened and didn't come because they didn't want to endanger the people.

She stumbled onto the platform just as the men that were to perform the hanging appeared. She threw herself at him, protectively. No one was going to pry her off him until they let him go. She hugged him, fiercely, tears coming down her face.

Jake looked at her surprised, "What are you doing here?" He hissed. He was afraid for her safety.

"Not letting them hang you," Sam protested stubbornly.

"How are you supposed to prevent it?" Jake sighed.

"I'll find a way. Somehow, I will make them release you," Sam wiped a tear off her face.

"You're such a Brat, Sam," he shook his head just as a big brawly looking man came up. The hanging was about to start.

Sam tightened her grip on his waist. They were going to have to pry her dead body off to get to him! Sam saw her father in the crowd but didn't care if he saw her.

"Move away, Miss," the man said roughly as the other man readied the noose around Jake's neck.

"I'm afraid I can't do that," Sam planted her feet, arms around Jake's waist.

"Mustang Eyes here can't get a proper hanging if you don't move away," the man sounded impatient.

"If you want to kill him you're going to have to kill us both because I'm not letting go until you release him," Sam said firmly, looking into Jake's deep brown eyes with love. She knew she may suffer the consequences.

The man looked annoyed and ordered the other man over and they tried to pull Sam from Jake. She kicked, screamed, and bit them. She was determined.

"Arrest her!" someone yelled.

"Hang her!" someone else cried.

"State your reason for all this," the sheriff said to Sam. He silenced the crowd.

"You have no right to kill Mustang Eyes. He has done nothing to deserve this," Sam said bravely to him.

"He's a savage," yelled Linc Slocum in the crowd.

Sam glared at him. Suddenly her eyes caught sight of a blond women and realized Maxine was there. She had pain written all over her face as she stared up at Jake. Her eyes met Sam's a couple of minutes. That made Sam even more determined.

"If any of us are savages it's the white men who slaughtered and burned the Indians in their tepees. We have no right to call them savages when they only fight us for self defense. We took over their land and tried to drive them away. When we couldn't drive them away we decided to eliminate them. That makes us all savages!" Sam spat, "Mustang Eyes has not killed anyone and he's innocent. He even once helped me when I was in need," she yelled at everyone.

All the people's face were going pale as they were taking in all that the girl said. They could tell the girl loved the Indian boy that they were going to hang.

The sheriff considered all that Sam had said. He could find no falseness in it. She was completely right and he felt convicted to carry on the hanging.

Maxine looked proud of the girl who had stolen Jake's heart.

"I find the boy not guilty. Let him go," the sheriff shoed at the two men standing beside him. They pulled the noose away.

No one protested except for Linc and Ryan but no one paid them no mind. Everyone was leaving slowly. Only Wyatt and Maxine stayed.

Jake bear-hugged Sam so tight she thought her ribs would crack, "You are crazy, Sam but I love you!" Sam hugged him back.

"Thank you so much for saving my son," Maxine put her around Sam and Jake both.

"No thank you, needed, Mrs. Ely," Sam felt like crying she was so happy.

Wyatt walked up to his daughter, "I had no idea, Samantha," he hugged her once she was out of Jake and Maxine's embrace.

"Oh Pa," Sam said, "Please don't make me marry Ryan, please," she pleaded, looking up into his weather beaten face.

Wyatt sighed, "After all I saw those Slocum's do I don't think I'll ever consider it," he gave her smile as Sam's eyes lit up.

Chief Bear Claw walked out of the woods at that time and walked up to them, "Thank you, Samantha," he said, nodding his head before walking up to Jake.

Wyatt stared at the Ely's with wonder in his eyes before turning back to Sam, "You really love him don't you?" he asked her.

"Yes Pa," Sam said to him.

A few minutes later Bear Claw turned back to Sam and Wyatt, "Mustang Eyes wishes to marry your daughter if he has your permission," Bear Claw gestured to Jake.

Wyatt in took a deep breath. He knew he had to let them. Sam and Jake loved each other to much to separate them but Wyatt didn't Sam so far away, "On one condition. Mustang Eyes and Sam live on the land beside mine and have a Cattle Ranch," he said slowly.

Bear Claw turned to Jake to see what he decided. Bear Claw would miss his son but he knew he would be happy to live a white man's life. He had always been curious.

Jake looked at Sam and back to Wyatt and nodded, "Yes Sir, I can do that."

Sam and Jake got married a week later and with the help of Wyatt they made a Ranch. They called it Three Ponies.

Samantha and Jake Ely had 8 children.

Jake's brother Kit soon grew to like Sam and she was no longer afraid of him.

They lived happily and the town of Darton no longer fought with the Shoshone.

**How did ya'll like this? I know I didn't put a lot of detail into this but I was trying to keep it short since its supposed to be an one-shot. Jake is a little OOC but he kinda has to be.**

**I'm going to take a vote. Do any of you want me to make this into a major story when I finish Love You Forever?**

**If any of you do I hope you give me a little information about Shoshone customs and the way they live if any of you know.**

**I study a lot about Indian cultures because it fascinates me but I've mostly researched just Cherokee because its my heritage. **

**So if any of you know any good sites on Shoshone culture or just know any facts write me up.**

**Review!**

**Just to let you know, I'm probably not going to post another one-shot for a while unless any of you give me ideas. I've run out of ideas so if I update it's probably going to be a Love You Forever update.**

**Until then…**


End file.
